AbbVie has announced plans to invest $380m to construct two new active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facilities at its current North Chicago site in Illinois, US.
These facilities will integrate advanced manufacturing technologies and AI for supporting production of the company's obesity and next-generation neuroscience medications.
Construction is scheduled to commence in spring 2026, with both facilities anticipated to be fully operational by 2029.
AbbVie intends to recruit 300 employees in North Chicago, including manufacturing operators, scientists, lab technicians, and engineers, to support the expanded operations.
Manufacturing APIs is a multi-step and intricate process that creates the components essential for a medication’s therapeutic effects.
Over the last six months, AbbVie has revealed plans to considerably increase its API manufacturing capacity in the US.
In September 2025, the company broke ground on the initial phase of this investment, a chemical synthesis facility aimed at relocating API production for certain neuroscience, immunology, and oncology products from Europe and Asia back to the US.
AbbVie employs about 29,000 people in the US, including over 6,000 at its manufacturing sites in the US.
In addition to the latest investment, recently, AbbVie revealed plans for a device manufacturing facility acquisition in Arizona and to make substantial investments at its site in Massachusetts. Further investments in other US states are expected to be announced in 2026.
AbbVie chairman and CEO Robert Michael said: “This milestone demonstrates further progress against our $100bn commitment to US R&D and capital investments over the next decade.
“By strengthening our US manufacturing capabilities, we are well-positioned to support our investment in innovation and enhance our ability to deliver next-generation medicines to patients.”
In August 2025, AbbVie signed a definitive agreement to acquire Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals’ lead investigational candidate, bretisilocin, for up to $1.2bn, including an upfront payment and development milestones.
